[Day Three]
I truly don’t get Mumford & Sons. My friend wanted to see their set so I gave them a shot. They have an alright sound, their two big singles are pretty enjoyable overall, but everything else in their set sounding the same. I just feel like theirs something I’m missing. Their not awful, but I don’t get why they are so big. They’re absolutely massive in the U.K. and it seems like that success is carrying over here. I don’t get it. Let’s see where these guys are in two years. I’m honestly interested to see if they fade, or if their success is the real deal.
The Black Keys along with Arcade Fire, are probably two of the best success stories over recent years. They’ve practically taken the throne as two of modern rock & roll’s biggest bands, and I don’t know why anyone would be upset about that. The Black Keys played a no bullshit set that lasted an hour and a half, and they made every second count. It was a display of the bands finest songs in a catalog that one can obsess over for countless hours. Songs after song was delicious blues inspired rock and roll that hit your soul right where it hurts, in the best way possible. The only direction for The Black Keys is up, up, up. These guys are only going to get bigger – and more importantly – better.
I stuck around for some of Eminem’s set and maybe it was just me but it seemed like a lot of it was lip synced, but I could be wrong. The set started out slow but soon he brought out all the classics. I grew up with his early catalog so it was cool to hear all the old stuff, no matter how bland his new material is. Although we heard the end of his set from our campsite, I was glad to hear that he stuck to mostly older songs, which is definitely the way to go.
For Day Four, hit “read more”:
[Day Four]
Junip was the first band of the day for us and it was a perfectly way to get rolling. Their set was cool collected and smart, with icy elements that Jose Gonzalez’s band brought to the table. I have yet to check out their LP, but it’s high up on my queue now.
Iron & Wine was next and it was a enjoyable set, but something left me wanting more. I am not all that familiar with his material, and I think that ultimately hurts you at his live show. The music is nice and enjoyable to an extent, but when the sun is beaming down and you are unfamiliar with his (slower) material, it’s somewhat hard to get into it.
The Strokes were next, and unfortunately I had to miss both Explosions In The Sky & Beirut. Even Julian noted that it wasn’t right that they put Beirut at the same time, as he explained that he came back from watching a bit of their set. The Strokes set was basically a greatest hits showcase, along with a sprinkle of Angles (which has actually gone south for me). Overall The Strokes seemed to really be into the set, and so did the crowd. We sung back every single song, and it couldn’t have been better. I don’t know what the future holds for The Strokes, but I’m glad to have been able to see them on more than one occasion this year.
I caught a bit of Superjam featuring Dan Auerbach and Dr. John, as well as Widespread Panic, which were the only two things really left at the time. It’s always a pleasure to listen to Dan Auerbach, and it was neat to hear his voice in a different musical environment. Widespread Panic was a bit too jam band for me, but there’s no denying that these guys know how to play live. I was only their for a little bit but I could definitely think of worse ways of ending Bonnaroo.
Final thoughts: This was my first music festival experience, so there was definitely some learning involved. My friends and I weren’t as prepared as we could’ve been with both camping and getting to shows. If you’re going with a big group of friends (nearly 6 people in my case), it’s hard to hang out and utilize your blogging/media stuff. But I thought it was more important to go as a fan, and a friend, and enjoy the festival for what it was. I don’t regret any part of my week, and I truly can’t wait to do it again next year. Hope you consider making it out to Bonnaroo 2012!
Join the conversation